Truth Be Told
by Arkham Insanity
Summary: Emperors New School... Kuzco learns what family means when he finds himself in big trouble when Pacha thinks that Kuzco is lying to him...Can Malina help save his skin? !Contains Parental Dicipline!
1. Chapter 1

**----Authors Note----**

**This story startsduring the timeKuzco starts living with Pacha and his family while attending "Kuzco Adcademy"...in my fic-land there is no Slash bewtween Kuzco and Pacha though ...inall my "KuzcoFics" Pachais a strong beliver in old fasion dicipline...(though no direct details are given) and is nothing more but a parental figure to Kuzco.**

**As always I dont own Kuzco, Pacha or anyone else it Kuzcotopia**

**----End Authors Note----**

_Family...yes that's definitely something I am not used to._

_yeah I'm the prince of the whole kingdom...Don't really remember my parents...Don't know and don't care...they must have cared about me...of course they did, they made me prince right?_

Kuzco fiddled with his two index fingers and then brought his knees up to his chest and looked up at the night sky that seemed to envelope him, wishing deep inside him that he could have know his parents...or that they would have cared enough about him to spend time with him instead of shoving him away to be taken care of by the royal sitters...he heard a sudden laughing behind him he turned his head to see Tipo and his sister chasing fireflies. A smile touched his face as he looked to see Pacha and his wife setting outside their small home having a private conversation and laughing together.

"Kuzco come catch fireflies with us!…it's really fun" Tipo said out of breath.

"Sorry kids time for bed" Pacha interrupted as he stood and stretched

"awww" came two voices in unison "cant we stay up just a little bit longer?"

"Sorry kids tomorrow's a school day, come on if you hurry I'll tell you a story."

"Yippee!" they cried forgetting their displeasure of going to bed. They then quickly tumbled up the stairs into the house laughing loudly trying to beat each other to the bedroom.

"That means you too Kuzco" Pacha called to a still emperor...you have school tomorrow too."

"Emperors don't have bed times." Kuzco said with a smug smile.

"Maybe they don't when they live at the palace, but they do when they live in the village." Kuzcos face dropped deadpan and grumbled at the jumped from his seat on a rock and slumped towards the house. Sometimes he hated his arrangement. If it wasn't for stupid Yzma he could be housed at the palace until his schooling was over.

"Do you have any homework tonight?" Pacha asked "Because if you need some help-"

"Nope...I'm all caught up." Kuzco lied as he crossed the threshold of the house.

"I see then I guess you wont mind me checking it then" Pacha said casually as he picked up Kuzcos backpack and opened it.

"NO! Wait I-" but before Kuzco could finish his back pack exploded with uncompleted scrolls marked F. the room was quickly flooded up to Pachas waist with Kuzco looking quite sheepish.

"Well maybe I still have a few assignments to go heh heh"

Pacha looked sternly at Kuzco for a moment then have a sigh..."come here Kuzco, there is something I want to show you." Pacha then waded through the papers to the back door with a confused Kuzco following behind him. just a ways from the house he stopped in front of a small building.

"Do you know what this building is called Kuzco"

"What? Oh I get it this some sort of country folk game called "guess the building" Kuzco gave a laugh...um is it a um no...Wait…I give up"

Pachas face didn't change "Its called a woodshed...its where we keep logs and wood until we need them to be burned...and its where consequences are dealt for misdeeds and actions of minors."

Kuzcos face looked blank "I'm sorry I wasn't listening…something about... what now?"

Pacha sighed again trying to keep his patience.

"Kuzco what I mean to say is that while you are apart of this family...we care for you and there are rules that you must follow...now I know this may be hard for you to hear but...lying and trying to get things your own way are not apart of being a member of this family...selfishness is no way to be in a family and for your future its no way to rule. Now when rules are broken there are consequences...and for this family its a trip to the woodshed. Kuzcos face suddenly dropped and Pacha knew he understood.

"Y-you mean y-you would?" Kuzco couldn't finish and Pacha nodded his head grimly. Kuzco knew that look and knew he wasn't kidding Kuzco may have been irresponsible...but he wasn't stupid.

"I-I think I have some homework to do!" Pacha smiled and folded his arms as he watched Kuzco hightail it to the house. "All that kid needs is a gentle nudge in the right direction" he smiled.

**----Authors Note----**

**dont go away...this episode isnt over yet!**


	2. Enter the Villian

"Mwaa HAAA! This is going to be too easy!" Yzma cackled from a bush next to Pachas house.

"I knew Kuzco living here was going to be his undoing. Kuzco is too selfish to live the standard that big mean Pacha has set for him here. Kuzco will get into trouble and then he will get angry because he is such a spoiled brat and he will get kicked out. And without a stable family to guide him he will fail his classes and then I will be EMPRESS! HHA HAA HAAAAAAA!"

"uh..Yzma...dont you think that's stretching it just a bit...I mean...Kuzcos inside doing his homework...and we all know that Pacha is fair parent...which means Kuzco would only gain respect for him for giving him boundaries." Yzma stared at Kronk silently for a moment.

"What are you talking about Kronk? This is Kuzco we are talking about, he knows nothing of respect and boundaries, these kinds of standards will drive him mad, and besides...its not like he's not going to have a little outside help to take the path most travelled MWAA HAAA!"

"And that would be the wrong path right?"

"Yes Kronk...I was using a metaphor."

"Woah...that is deep...your a genius Yzma"

"Don't I know it"

----------

BBbbrrrrIIINNNGGG!

"GAAA" Kuzco sat strait up in his desk "w-a?..is school over?"

Malina whos desk was besides Kuzco shook her head

"No, that was first bell...class hasn't even started yet?"

"Oh"

"What's wrong with you Kuzco?..stay up late eating cheezysticks again?"

"NO, Pacha made me finish all my assignments last night, it was horrible. I didn't get my usual beauty sleep" Malina smiled and gave Kuzco an eye.

"Whoa! Back up, you got all your homework done?"

"Yes, even my make up homework from like, kindergarten done!"

"Wow...that's impressive, that will really boost your grades. See what happens when you just apply yourself, if you can do that the rest of this year will be a breeze!"

"But I don't want to apply my self...its too hard."

"But I thought you just said?"

"This all wasn't my idea. if Pacha hadn't threatened me with the woodshed then…" Kuzco quickly slapped his hands over his mouth and is face turned bright red. Malina eyes narrowed and she gave a small laugh. now it was all clear to her to where Kuzcos spurt of motivation had come from.

"Oh I see, trying to avoid a trip to the old woodshed eh?" Malina was holding back peals of laughter. Kuzco glared at her feeling his emperor pride falling, he hated that feeling especially around Malina. Kuzco was about to issue back a tart remark when the second bell rang and in walked their teacher ready to begin the class with a pop quiz.

"This day just keeps getting better and better" Kuzco huffed as he took his quiz paper and started working on the translation of Squirrel to English. Suddenly he felt a small paper wad hit him in the back of the head. He looked up in surprise at Kronk sitting behind him.

"Hey there Kuzco, I was just wondering if you want you need help on #3...its a toughie, I wondered if you um...you know needed the answer to it." Kronk bit his bottom lip wondering if this next scheme of Yzmas was going to work.

"Kronk, why are you trying to offer to cheat for Kuzco" Malina half yelled.

"Hey yeah" Kuzco shot back...aren't you usually trying to fail me?

"Well yes...but that's not the point"

"Well thanks but no thanks Kronk ol' buddy...my eyes are on the prize...that and if Pacha finds out I've cheated to make my grades better then I am in real trouble. And let me tell you, you haven't tasted trouble Kronk until you have messed with Pacha, those are my words of wisdom to you today buddy" Kuzco said poking his pen at Kronks oversized chest.

"Kuzco!" the sharp voice of the teacher voice called out "Kuzco, Cheating is defiantly not allowed in this class, go report your self to Principal Amzy this instant." Kuzcos mouth dropped wide. Of all the times he had cheated in this class. The one time he tried to do the right thing he gets accused of cheating. (that's just messed up you know what I mean!)

"B-but..I wasnt ..Cheating I was…" Kronk suddenly cut in.

"Oh yes thank you Mr. M… Kuzcos always trying to cheat of me...its because of my grade point average"

"Yea right!" Kuzco shot back. If I cheated off you...which I wasn't… I wouldn't need to fail! you would do it for me!..yeah!…what do you think of that!"

"Kuzco..since your track record in this class for your honesty is below average I'm going to have to go with Kronk on this one...out!"

Kuzco giving one desperate look to Malina for help...gets up and began the long walk of shame to the Head Principals Office.


	3. Facing Pacha & the End

Yzma was giggling in delight as she wrote out Kuzcos discipline slip and pinned it to his jacket...it was the final revenge that she has been waiting for and in her disguise as Principal Amzy she knew it would only be a matter of time before the Throne was hers.

Humiliated at having to wear a pink slip on his front Kuzco headed home on foot. The walk seemed extra long and Kuzco shuttered at seeing the disappointed look on Pachas face. He brightened for a moment as he came in sight of the house, maybe he could explain things to Pacha, maybe he tell him what really happened and he would believe him. But then his stomach lurched as he realized what his teacher had said was correct, he has a poor track record of telling the truth, especially to Pacha. Kuzco looked up, just his luck; Pacha was standing there in the doorway. The look on his face told him that he must already have received a visitor explaining what happened. Kuzco held his breath.

"Hey Pacha...I have something I've gotta say. "Principal Amzy said I was to give you this...it explains what happened today at school." Kuzcos fingers trembled as he held the pink note out to Pacha.

"And if you would just hear me out I can explain what happened, and you will see that I was not in the wrong, it was Kronk who sits BEHIND me mind you that asked me if I wanted to cheat, I politely told him no, and then I got in trouble!…I swear I'm telling you the truth Pacha." Kuzco waited and held his breath as he watch Pacha scan the note and his eyes closed and he sighed.

"Kuzco...why do you try making things worse...if you would just be honest I would understand. Why is it so hard for you to just do the right thing? I guess I was wrong, I thought maybe I could get through to you, but now I guess you will just have to learn the hard way."

Kuzcos eyes widened.."w-what?..what are you saying Pacha, listen…I AM telling you the truth...no for really I am this time! I know I have a poor track record but..."

"Kuzco, Why cant you just admit your mistakes…don't you know if you would just be honest with me that I would try to understand?

"What?..what are you talking about...I am!….Pacha I swear I didn't try to cheat...and I am NOT just saying it...Pacha you have to believe me..if any one is lying its the principal!"

"Why would the principal lie, what reason would she have for doing that…I'm sorry Kuzco but trust has to be earned." Pacha turned his back and sighed. "Kuzco I really wish I could believe you bu,t you have given me no choice." Kuzcos heart suddenly froze in his chest.

"No, Pacha...please" Kuzco squeaked. But he knew he had lost. Pacha wordlessly turned and gently took Kuzcos hand and started for the woodshed.

Kuzcos whole life flashed before his eyes, this was it. He would not have been so upset if he had actually deserved this...but the injustice of it all made him feel completely and utterly destroyed. The woodshed was in site now and Kuzco felt his legs grow weak. Pacha hadn't said a word and Kuzco wanted so badly to break the silence but was afraid that whatever he was going to say would make thinks worse for him. They reached the door and the dismal inside looked worse that Kuzco could have imagined he looked to the left and saw a simple leather strap hanging on a nail he watched in horror as Pacha picked it up.

"I'm sorry Kuzco, I hate that it has come to this but you are going to have to learn that their are consequences to your actions. Pacha looked down at the young man and noticed something unusual. This was not the haughty emperor that pushed and ran over anyone in his way, there was deepness in his young eyes and for the first time in his life, a look of innocent helplessness, the look of someone truly wronged. But having no to way to prove it. Pachas thoughts were suddenly broken by the pounding on the woodshed door.

"Pacha, Pacha, its me Malina! Kuzco isn't lying!"

"Malina?" Kuzco choked out.

"What?" Pacha turned and opened the door to see Malina out of breath, had she run the whole way?

"I just came from Principal Amzy's office I overheard Yzma talking to Kronk congratulating him on setting Kuzco up. she was trying to get Kuzco in trouble so you would kick him out and she could gain the throne!"

Pacha stood stunned.

"I was there Pacha when Kronk was trying to get Kuzco to cheat. Kuzco didn't cheat, he turned him down even when Kronk was offering him his answers." Pacha turned to Kuzco who was nodding his head up and down and giving a sigh of relief inadvertently leaning back on a pile of wood and toppling over the back with a loud crash.

**-------**

The sky was filled with stars you could hear the distant call of a llama calling to its mate...Kuzco leaned back on his rock looking up at the fireflies buzzing overhead.

"Family, yes…I am defiantly not used to it...but I feel I know what its foundation is...Trust...trusting that those in your charge are looking out for your best interest even if it doesn't seem like it at the time, building a trust with those members by never lying to them so that way they have a reason to believe you when its important, and that's something that doesn't come quickly after its been broken."

Kuzco rolled over on his stomach and looked to the house that he was calling home, it wasn't a palace...but it was home, and the people standing in front and the children playing in the yard was indeed his family.

End


End file.
